§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assistance his Department is giving to the French authorities in dealing with the Erika oil spill. [107925]
§ Mr. HillMy Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has assisted the French authorities in a number of areas of counter pollution response.
The MCA co-ordinated the provision of an oil recovery vessel, the British Shield. It provided specialist oil recovery equipment for the vessel from its stockpile and an operator to operate and maintain the equipment on site. I understand that this equipment has made a valuable contribution to the oil recovery operation.
Staff from the MCA have visited the affected sector of the French coastline to provide advice on beach clean-up techniques, the nature and fate of the heavy fuel oil involved, and waste disposal. It has co-ordinated the provision of advice on, and assistance with, wildlife cleaning and rehabilitation.
The MCA will continue to assist the French authorities as efforts to clean up oil spilt by the Erika continue.
§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the Erika oil spill on United Kingdom biodiversity, with particular reference to breeding birds. [107924]
§ Mr. HillNone. However, the Government's statutory adviser on wildlife, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, co-ordinates periodic surveys of coastal colonies of seabirds. A full survey is currently under way.